perfidy

Why celebrate liberation from a foreign a conqueror you happily collaborated with? Celebrating the events that brought about the Reign of Terror and several decades of bloody warfare across Europe is much better.

The French really are disgusting, my Huguenot ancestors notwithstanding of course.

Regardless of what you think of the French, Bastille Day does not represent 'independence' but the overturning of absolutist, arbitrary authority, the Bastille being a prison for political adversaries of the crown and 'free thinkers.'

Well, sure, if you want to pick nits. Notice that I said equivalent, not identical to. Since the French have never had to free themselves from foriegn colonial rule since what, the fifth century? They can't have an independence day in the same sense as us.

But there's fireworks, parades, its a national day of celebration. It serves the same function even if it doesn't represent exactly the same thing.

Of course, as Bram noted, the storming of the Bastille led to some quite nasty things, and not just in France. So maybe they shouldn't be celebrating. But who am I to judge?

And besides, some of my best friends are French.

Ya Think?

Cordially,

Uncle J